A charming and somewhat comedic account of a trip taken by two young women to the Lake District in their Morris Minor in August 1935. Recorded by our travellers Jan Foster and Theo Bottomley, the diary is rich in anecdote and ephemera. Typed entries log every detail of the four night trip from the departure time (’3pm. Prompt. Brighouse’, Yorkshire), the cargo (’Us’), the costs (’Bill appalling £2-0-6 without tips’) and the food (‘this is the third time in three possible meals during 2 days that Jan has had chocolate mould’).
The first overnight stop is in Kirby Lonsdale (after posting a letter in Keighley en route and having a cup of tea in Giggleswick), where double room No 13 is secured at the Lorwood, ‘a hotel for decrepid pensioners’.... ‘we were called to dinner by a nerve shattering gong’.
Day two brings outings to Grasmere, Coniston and Broughton with a swim in the sea, ‘experienced some difficulty in dressing and undressing under mackintosh in high wind’. No rooms to be had, the pair pitch a tent at Parknook and enjoy supper in the house, ‘bill very pleasant surprise 12/- and no tips’.
Day 3 brings drizzle and lunch in Ennerdale, ‘chocolate mould definitely in season, Jan had it again for lunch at the Angler’s Inn’. The good room No 61 is booked for the night in the Royal Oak overlooking Skiddaw ‘dinner substantial but uninteresting’... ’Bill reasonable £1-13-6’.
Seatoller is passed through on day 4, ‘we were fleeced of 2/6 to go on a longer rougher road’ and then the pair move onto Thirlmere, Grasmere, and Ambleside where Theo, a keen botanist collects plant specimens in a biscuit tin. The night is spent in Ullswater Hotel ‘a beautiful moonlight view of the lake. There were 43 gladioli heads in vases in the hotel all the same shade and very fine’.
Woken by a vacuum cleaner crashing around on morning 5 the pair depart early to Aira Force, visit the Bowder Stone and travel onto Mardale Church which is to be shortly submerged by the Manchester Waterworks Scheme. A list of ‘fors and againsts going home’ includes the categories ‘cheaper, free, weather, no maid, set family’s mind at rest and upset family’. Minds made up, home is reached by 9pm that night.
Tipped and laid in ephemera include original hotel invoices, 21 original photos of the girls and the scenery, menus, a map, YEP paper cuttingss about the Mardale Valley, a full list of expenses and flowers found during the tour. In very good condition throughout. Hardcover quarto notebooks a little worn to spine, otherwise very sound. 21pp, remaining leaves blank.
